AIR DEVELOPMENT SQUADRON FOUR, VX-4 VANGUARDS/EVALUATORS

VX-4 F8U-1 143793 on 5-19-62 with wind driven silver cable reel on the fuselage and a red DEL MAR target attached to the black wing-mounted target hous¬ing_ Tall stripe is blue with white stars and rudder is atypically gull grey. (Ol¬son via Jansson)

VX-4 F8U-2N (F-8D] 14705 on 5-19-62 with "V" style missile racks; note up¬per Sidewinder has barber pole red stripes on the nose and a lower blue control fin. Tail stripe is blue with white stars_ (D. Olson via Jansson)

Air Development Squadron Four was commissioned on 15 September 1952, when the Commander Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet directed CDR James G. Sliney to form and com­mand the squadron at the Naval Missile Center, Point Mugu, California.

VX-4 F-8E 150306 carrying eight iron bombs. Red borders 150306 on the ground on 12-21-62 with an XKD2B-1 (ACM-37) have been added to the tail stripe. (USN via Wyckoff) missile on the port wing pylon. (USN via Wyckoff)

VX-4 F-8E 150892 at Pt. Mugu on 10-18-64. The tail, wing, and fuselage stripes were dark blue bordered by red with white stars. OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION FORCE Is printed under the wing. The fin tip is black and the afterburner section Is painted. (Swisher)

The squadron's mission was to con­duct projects dealing with the evaluation of air-launched guided missiles, namely the Sparrow I. VX-4's mission evolved into the development of a missile or missile component and its best use as a weapon, to conduct tests and evaluations of aircraft weapons systems and support sys­tems in an operational environment, and to develop all-weather intercept tactics for air-launched missiles.

VX-4 F-8E 150315 on 5-20-67 with eight iron bombs and four VX-4
Sidewinders. Note gull grey and white wing pylon. (Swisher)

The Vanguards of VX-4 were ini­tially equipped with the F7U and F3D, but with the advent of the Bullpup and Sparrow Ill missiles, the squadron ac­quired the FJ, A4D, F3H, F8U and F4D for advanced missile test pro­grams. As the Evaluators the squa­dron used the Crusader into the 1970s for Sidewinder and Zuni development. Virtually all the different variants of the F-8 were used by VX-4 at one time or another.

F-8,1 150898 on 5-18-68 with flaps full down and OPERA
TIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION FORCE below wing.(Swisher)

VX-4 F-811 147904 at NAS North Island on 10-3-70. Tail and fuselage flash are dark blue bordered by red with white stars. (C. J.)

VX-4 F-8Js 149143 and 150315 launch during the NAS Point Mu¬gu Space Fair in 1967. (Craig Kaston via Stan Wyckoff)

VX-4 F-8H 140681 taxiing in after landing at the 1970 Pt Mugu air show. (via Burger)

VX-4 F-8H 148692 in flight over the runways at Pt. Mugu on 10-15-71. (USN)